Sunday, March 22, 2015

Isherwood backs extended airport rail link

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood is supporting proposals to extend rails services between North Wales and Manchester International Airport.

Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) has made an application to Network Rail to extend nine weekday and 11 Saturday North Wales – Manchester Piccadilly services to Manchester International Airport (MIA) but this has been declined.

ATW intend to now make the case to Office of Rail Regulation, who will ultimately make the decision.

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Mr Isherwood, who has long been calling for improved transport links in the region, has written to ATW to confirm his support for these additional services and their negotiations with the Office of Rail Regulation.

He said: “At the moment there are very few direct services from North Wales to Manchester Airport so these ATW proposed services are a major enhancement.

“As the North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB) have stated in their response to the proposals ‘Current rail services from North Wales to MIA are inadequate and not an effective alternative to road transport, yet the large majority of the population and concentration of business is within easy access of the railway. There is a significant opportunity for modal shift from road to rail if more frequent services to MIA were available and this is consistent with the environmental agenda.’

"Having extended services from Manchester Airport to North Wales would not only be a huge benefit to the people of North Wales, but it could also help attract more visitors to this part of the world, boosting the local economy."